(c061-Mercy) Best Different Ever
by Yemi Hikari
Summary: Ms. Bradley's father and her brother's children decide to visit for the summer. The Alden kids to everyone's surprise make the attempt to reach out and make friends with the Herdman kids. This with the Alden children's odd behavior that isn't normal for children leads to gossip and problems as usual.
1. The Bad News

_Disclaimer – I do not own the Best/Worst Ever series or the Boxcar Children. I decided that in addition to writing two-hundred non-crossovers for "The Ultimate Fanfic Challenge: 200 Prompts" that I would also do two-hundred crossovers. I'm doing both at the same time. The theme for this crossover is #61: Mercy. This is going to have a slight AU in family relationships for both canons._

**Best Different Ever  
****_The Bad News_**

_Nobody in this town likes things that are different. Take for example the Herdman kids. They are so different that nobody likes them. Well, I don't hate them, I just don't know them well enough to decide if I like them or not. Other people though seem to know them well enough, because they've decided that they down right don't like them, that instead they down right hate them._

_Not that I can't blame them. Trouble seems to have a habit of following the Herdman kids around. Trouble is the operative word though, as what some people seem to think of as trouble may not seem like trouble to other people. I guess it depends on whether or not it is happening to you or not. For some reason I've never __had__ Herdman trouble now that I think about it._

_It became all to apparent though how much the people of our town don't like non-conformity as my mother put it when my cousins decided to come and visit them. There are four of them, Henry, Jessie, Violet and Benny, plus their little dog too. They came with my grandfather after he managed to make amends with my mother, so I guess that is where our story starts, with the whole making amends._

_To be honest, I don't know what the big deal was in the first place. Something tells me though it may be why my mother is so open to the Herdman kids and their strange ways though and why she doesn't like how the other people in town have treated the Herdman kids. It had something to do with how her father treated her older brother. Of course, everything started with some bad news._

**M**

A rain drizzled down on the roof of the Bradley household, almost as if something ominous was going to happen. Beth glanced up from setting the table and glared at her brother. "Shouldn't you be helping set the table?"

"I don't know... it feels like something bad is going to happen." Charlie stared at the window. "It's almost as if one of the Herdman kids is going to come flying through that window right there and we are going to have to run for our lives."

A frown spread across the preteen female's mouth before she shook her head. "No... even the Herdman kids aren't that crazy. You're just on the edge because they actually haven't done anything the last couple of days. So you don't need to worry until we get to school tomorrow. We'll be fine."

"No..." Beth's brother suddenly jumped as the phone rang. She watched as her mother left the kitchen and hurried over to grab the phone, her hand in a glove as she had been ready to pull the dish out of the oven. Beth found herself hurrying over and taking the glove from the oven. "Come on Charlie, you can help me."

"How? Only one of us can carry it."

"If I drop it you can run to mom and tell her to get off the phone and that she needs to call nine-one-one in order to get me to the hospital as quick as possible."

"Not funny."

"Plus, you don't need to be eaves dropping on mom's phonecall."

"But what if it is about the Herdmans?"

Beth glanced up as she opened up the oven, only to find herself waving away the steam. She then carefully began to pull the dish out. "Open the door to the dining room for me, will you? And why are you so obsessed with the Herdmans? You and everybody else are always talking about them."

"I don't get why you don't. Then again..." Charlie opened the door and let his sister through. "Then again, you happen to have the least problems with them. How come Imogene's never beaten you up?"

"I haven't given her reason to. I try to avoid them and they avoid me."

"Hah! It's impossible to avoid the Herdman kids! You're just plain lucky!"

"Shush!" Both of the Bradley kids turned their heads to look at the mother and then Beth carefully placed the dish onto the table. "Are you sure McGregor that the news is correct though?" There was a pause. "I'm not sure if I want to talk to that man, but if he is willing to go to _their... _I can't say it. The idea that they're both... well, I'll get more information and the time for you and we'll let you know what the soonest my husband can have off work is."

Their mother said goodbye before going and sitting at the table. Charlie of course decided to say the wrong thing. "Did somebody die?"

Beth watched as her mom suddenly burst into tears before turning to her brother. "I don't think that was the right thing to say. I think someone really did die."

Charlie turned and looked at his sister with a very series look on his face. "Maybe it was some of the Heardman kids?"

"Do you really think mom would cry over the Herdman kids?" The dark haired female went and sat down in the chair next to her mom.

"That's right, nobody would cry over the Herdman kids." Charlie glanced at the ceiling, only to flinch as his mother started to cry even more then she had been. "Mom?"

"The idea that there would be nobody to cry for someone if they died is just sad." Their mother spoke up. "I got word that my brother and his wife died in a car crash."

Beth glanced at the ground, not at all sure what to say. Charlie however did have something to say. "We have an uncle?"

Beth rolled her eyes, wishing she was close enough to kick him. She folded her arms across her chest before look at the table. The boy found himself suddenly sitting down as well as he realized that he had said something wrong. It was then that their dad walked through the door with a smile on his face. When he saw the looks on the three other Bradley family members he spoke up. "What did the Herdman kids do this time?"

This caused Ms. Bradley to suddenly burst into tears and bury her face with her wrists while her husband muttered something about saying the wrong thing.


	2. The Funeral

_Author's note – One of the rules for this challenge is that I'm not allowed to replace a chapter once it is posted even if there is a typo. I made an exception for the last chapter though because the chapter I posted wasn't the chapter I intended to post as it was missing the last two paragraphs that I wrote._

**Best Different Ever  
**_**The Funeral**_

_My brother brought up the idea of one of the Herdman kids dying when mother said she got news of someone dying. I wonder what would happen if one of them died. Mom said it was sad that nobody would cry for them if one of them died. I don't think the other kids would cry, and there mother wouldn't be upset about no longer having one more mouth to feed_

_Of course everyone in our school would be celebrating if one of the Herdman kids died. That would mean that there was one less Herdman to run around making a mess of things and bothering us. Of course, any celebration would likely be ruined by the rest of the Herdman kids who had the habit of ruining anything they were involved with, or at least that was what everyone believed._

_The more I think about it though, the more it does seem sad that one of them would die. Things wouldn't be the same if there was one less Herdman around here. Not to mention the idea that there is no one to cry for someone when they die is sad, no matter who that person happens to be. It means that nobody cared about them, or they were all alone._

**M**

News that the Bradley family had lost loved ones spread through the small town rather fast. People stopped by to console the family, one of them being Mrs. Wendleken. Mrs. Bradley let the woman into the house and they talked for awhile. One of the things that stuck with Beth though as well as her brother was the comment about how it couldn't have been the Herdman family.

Charlie sat on the stairs as he listened with his sister. "She's kind of right you know."

"Don't let mom hear you talking about that. You already upset her by saying nobody would be upset that one of the Herdman kids were dead. Plus, we need to pack for our trip."

"Strange isn't it. We're going on a trip despite the fact it is for such a said thing. It still sounds like quite the adventure, doesn't it."

"Yes... but, shush Charlie." The two children headed up the stairs and began to pack their suitcases. Mr.s Bradley had to come up and repack a few things in Beth's suitcase and pretty much everything in Charlies.

"But I want to take my comics with me."

"You also need to take clothes as well Charles. So please... I don't have time for this." When they were finished their father carried the suitcases out to the car so that they could be on their way. Of coure, Mr. Bradley was staying to take care of the house, which brought about a comment from Charlie.

"Is the reason dad staying so that the Herdmans don't ransack out house?"

Mrs. Bradley startled from the front seat. "No... your father couldn't get time off from work at such short notice. We could have gotten someone to watch the house for us if we needed to."

"So you don't deny the fact the Herdmans would go and ransack out house if we left it all alone for a long period of time."

"No, I didn't say any such thing."

Beth stared out at the road and watched as the lush green trees passed them by. She was getting to miss out on school, so there was a positive side of things. She still had to do school work and she found herself suddenly miserable due to the fact she found herself having to just stare out at nothing. Finally, she turned her head towards the front. "What is our grandfather like?"

"Your grandfather... well, he's..." The woman glanced ahead at the road. "Now look here, there is nothing wrong with the man other then him being quite a judgmental man. He didn't speak to my brother for years because he married the wrong type of person, or at least wrong type in my father's opinion."

"Is that the reason why we don't ever talk to him?" Charlie frowned. "Does he hate us as well?"

"Well... no. I'm the one who cut ties with him and flat out told him that I wanted nothing to do with him unless he was willing to reconcile things with my brother." They drove along and finally came to the place that they would be staying. "The funeral is tomorrow. So get plenty of sleep."

The next morning things were a rush to get ready. Beth found herself having to wear a black dress her mother had picked out for her, which only helped set into place that the occasion was rather somber. Charlie though was excited. "Do you think one of my cousins will be my age?"

"No... there is one around Beth's age and the other two are older from what McGreggor told me, but the youngest is still in Kindergarten." They found themselves getting into the car again and heading to the funeral home, only to find that the police were there. Beth glanced over at her mother and saw the woman's face turn red.

"Did grandfather make a scene or did he kill someone?" Charlie piped up.

"Charles."

The two children got out and followed their mother after she parked the car. They headed over to the funeral while an officer glanced up. "I'm sorry, we have a case of four kids have gone missing. We're not letting anyone on the premises."

"What do you mean my nephews and nieces have gone missing?"

"Wait... they're with the family." And older woman waved her over. "Apparently the children decided to run off during the night. They were supposed to be transferred into their grandfather's care this morning."

"And where is my father?"

"Mr. Alden is pacing back and forth in the foyer." The three Bradley family members followed the woman into the place, where they saw an old man pacing back and forth.

"Father?"

The man looked up, a rather somber look on his face. "This likely is my fault."

"What do you mean it is likely your fault?"

"Grace, I should have made up with your brother and his wife sooner. Because I didn't, I didn't get a chance to know their children."

"Father, don't talk about the children as if they're dead as well."

"No. I don't believe them to be dead. I am quite sure they've heard from their father how much I hated him and his wife, though honestly that isn't true. I just... shouldn't have said the things I did back then or been as stubborn as I was."

"Of all the... surely the officers will find out where they've gone."

"I hope so, but if they have your brother's intelligence it may not be an easy thing to do. Again. I'm sorry."


	3. Visitors Coming

**Best Different Ever  
****_Visitors Coming_**

_The tension we felt after the funeral honestly didn't go away after we came home from the funeral, though I can't blame mother for being as tense as she was when there was no word about my uncles kids and their whereabouts. Rumors do spread around town and my own brother didn't help. Actually, this time around I think he was the source of the rumors as mother specifically said not to tell anyone that her nephews and nieces were missing, but Charlie really can't keep his mouth shut._

_Alice wouldn't stop about how my cousins were bad kids for running away like they did, what with a nice grandfather being there to take care of them. The other kids settled down after I explained that they didn't know grandfather was a nice person, but she kept at it. According to her they were as bad as the Herdman kids. She said this without being able to meet them. Of course, Charlie's perception of them was effected by his fear of the Herdman kids._

_Then mom got a call. The look on her face made both Charlie and me think that she had gotten bad news again, but it turns out that my cousins had been found. She was on the phone for a long time and by the end she was laughing. Charlie told me that he found this to be confusing. The only thing mother told us was that they had been found and not why she was laughing._

**M**

Mrs. Bradley was speaking on the phone as her two kids worked on their end of the year homework. When she got off she turned to look at the two. "Guess what. Your cousins are going to be visiting over the summer."

Charlie's mouth dropped open in horror while Beth looked up at him with a frown on her face. The girl shook her head and went back to the school assignment. "But... aren't... aren't they as bad as the Herdman family?"

Their mother stared at him for a few minutes. "Where would you get that idea from?"

"Alice Wendelkin said that only the Herdmans would run off like that!"

"Now listen here, you shouldn't listen to everything that Alice says." Mrs. Bradley.

"So they're nothing like the Herdmans?" Charlie looked at her with a rather hopeful look on his face.

"Well... my brothers kids are very self sufficient, but beyond that... no, nothing like the Herdmans."

"What does self sufficient mean?" The boy frowned.

Beth piped up. "That means that they can take care of themselves."

"But isn't that..." Charlie scrunched his face up as he tried to think about it. "Isn't that why the Herdmans always get into trouble."

"No..." Mrs. Bradley frowned. "They get in trouble because they're not supervised by adults."

"But our cousins weren't either." The boy continued to frown. "How are they different from the Herdmans then?"

"They're well behaved children Charlie."

"But they ran away."

"Charlie, please." Mrs. Bradley turned to Beth. "Your cousins will be here the day after the last day of school. Please. I want to the two of you to treat them politely and as if they're family."

"I'm going outside."

"What about your homework Charlie?"

"I finished."

"Beth... could you go out and make sure your brother doesn't get into trouble?"

Beth rolled her eyes. "I'm not finished with my homework though."

"Please Beth."

Letting out a deep sigh the older female stood up and went outside as well. Her brother of course headed straight towards his friends place. "Do you have to follow me Beth?"

"Mom told me to keep an eye on you Charlie."

"Yeah... but she's never done that before." The boy went and knocked on the door to his friends house.

The door opened and Cecil's mother looked out. "Ah... Beth and Charlie. I'll go and get Cecil."

A few minutes later Cecil came out. "Hi! What's going on!"

"Mom just told us that..."

"Charlie..." Beth shook her head at her brother.

"But why can't I tell people that our cousins are coming to visit for the summer?"

"You mean your cousins who are like the Herdmans?"

"No. They're not like the Herdmans. Mom said..."

"That's right. They're like the Herdmans."

"Mom said they're not."

"But their self suffisaint."

"You forgot the word already? It's sufficient." Beth let out a deep sigh. "Mom said that had nothing to do with them being like the Herdmans and even said that our cousins are well behaved."

Cecil's eyes however went wide. "But Beth! How does she know that they're well behaved. Your mom and you guys have never met them!"

"Yeah! Mom could very well be wrong!"

"Charlie... if that's true then its also true that we can't tell that they're bad as we haven't met them. You guys are assuming there is something wrong with them."

"They did run away."

"There were issues between their dad and our grandfather. Even our mom wasn't speaking to grandfather for a long time. They didn't know that grandfather had changed and thought he was a bad guy. Mom's already explained this to you Charlie many times."

"Yeah... but..." Charlie frowned. "Alice says..."

"Alice is one of the last people you should listen to. She says a lot of things that aren't true that she believes to be true simply because she herself says it."

"Like..."

"Like..." Beth couldn't think of anything off the top of her head.

"See. Alice is likely right."

"Alice isn't always right. For example, she insists that she is the best person in the world."

"Well, it might not be the best person in the world, but she is the best person in town." Charlie frowned.

"Where do you get that idea?"

"Simlple!" Cecil's eyes were wide. "Alice gets the best grades. She plays the piano perfectly and her dresses are always perfect. At least until the Herdmans get to her and do things."

Beth rolled her eyes again. "Honestly, she isn't always right."


End file.
